Exploring contextual influences on the architectural structure of South African television news programmes This article is partly based on a paper presented at the International Broadcasting Content Regulation Conference,Johannesburg, 27–29 May 2005

Abstract

This article uses a qualitative textual analysis of in-depth interviews with senior news processors as a methodology to explore the unique contextual dimensions that may influence the architectural structure of South African television news programmes. The discussion rests on the basic assumption that news will always present a mediated and constructed version of reality. Six communicative frames categories have been selected to investigate operational processes and issues organising the production process of news: short, straight-forward, ‘objective’ news reports; single-sourced news items based on one major voice or main perspective; investigative news reports; marketable news chosen for financial potential; news items based on community and cultural events; and mythic tales. The findings indicate that the interface between contextual factors and journalistic practices contributes to the unique challenges facing the industry in South Africa. The article concludes with an appeal to news processors to reflect on the consequences and effects their programmes have on audiences’ perception of reality, and proposes recommendations to enable audiences to become more empowered and engaged viewers.     

社会转型的时空压缩性特征对我国生态文明的影响

"时空压缩"是当前中国社会转型的一个显著特点。"时空压缩"给我国生态文明带来影响是双重的:它为我国生态文明建设提供了丰富的物质基础,给我国生态文明建设提供了"择优综合"的外部条件,也为我国生态文明建设提供了合作共赢的国际环境。同时,时空压缩性也使我国生态文明建设面临着国内外的双重挤压。     

Circulación de modelos y centralidad de los códigos civiles en el derecho privado latinoamericano

This work presupposes the existence of a family of laws which can be situated in the extensive system of codified laws based on the Roman tradition, and within it a Latin American group, and seeks to organize the material within the context in which it has been produced, with the aim of achieving greater comprehension of the formation of the private law in Latin America, highlighting the models and influences used, the intervention of jurists and the significance it took on for the different societies, the characteristics of the mentioned process and the causes for its early or tardy consolidation.     

Subjectivity and bias in forensic DNA mixture interpretation

The objectivity of forensic science decision making has received increased attention and scrutiny. However, there are only a few published studies experimentally addressing the potential for contextual bias. Because of the esteem of DNA evidence, it is important to study and assess the impact of subjectivity and bias on DNA mixture interpretation. The study reported here presents empirical data suggesting that DNA mixture interpretation is subjective. When 17 North American expert DNA examiners were asked for their interpretation of data from an adjudicated criminal case in that jurisdiction, they produced inconsistent interpretations. Furthermore, the majority of 'context free' experts disagreed with the laboratory's pre-trial conclusions, suggesting that the extraneous context of the criminal case may have influenced the interpretation of the DNA evidence, thereby showing a biasing effect of contextual information in DNA mixture interpretation.     

试论言词证据的影响因素与审查认定

言词证据是诉讼证据的重要组成部分，每一宗刑事诉讼案件，都会涉及言词证据。合法取证，提高言词证据的质量是刑事斗争实践的迫切需要。但是，言词证据的形成过程会受到诸多因素的影响和制约，了解和掌握获取言词证据的过程及方法是侦查员必备的常识和基本技能。     

The Effect of “Thin Ideal” Television Commercials on Body Dissatisfaction and Schema Activation During Early Adolescence

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of viewing televised images of female attractiveness on the body dissatisfaction of young adolescent girls and boys. Adolescents (160 females and 197 males) aged 13–15 years viewed either 20 commercials containing idealized female thin images or 20 nonappearance television commercials. Body dissatisfaction was measured before (Time 1), immediately following (Time 2), and 15 min after (Time 3) commercial viewing. Appearance-schema activation was assessed using a word-stem completion task. Girls, but not boys, who viewed the appearance commercials reported significantly higher body dissatisfaction at both Times 2 and 3 compared with the nonappearance condition. Participant age had no effect. Both girls and boys in the appearance condition reported greater schema activation, but appearance schematicity did not moderate the commercial effect. The results support the general hypothesis that televised images of attractiveness lead to increased body dissatisfaction and schema activation for girls as young as 13 years old.     

Parental Smoking-specific Communication,Adolescents’ Smoking Behavior and Friendship Selection

In this study, we investigated whether parental smoking-specific communication is related to adolescents’ friendship-selection processes. Furthermore, we investigated whether adolescents and their best friends influence each other over time, and what role parents play in this process. In the present study we used data from the Family and Health project in which at baseline 428 full families participated. In this 2-year, three-wave longitudinal study data were available from fathers, mothers, early adolescents (aged M = 13.4 years, SD = .50), and middle adolescents (aged M = 15.2 years, SD = .60). The majority of the participating adolescents were of Dutch origin (>95%). There was an almost equal distribution of boys and girls, and adolescents with lower, middle, and higher educational levels were equally represented. Analyses were conducted by means of Structural Equation Modeling. Results demonstrate that a high quality of the smoking-specific communication is related to a lower likelihood of adolescent smoking, whereas the frequency is positively associated with adolescent smoking. Both the quality and frequency of parental smoking-specific communication were related to adolescents’ selective affiliation with (non-)smoking friends. The findings suggest that parental smoking-specific communication is associated with adolescent smoking directly but also indirectly by influencing the friends the adolescents will associate with.

WTO反倾销协议之最佳信息原则探析

在反倾销调查程序中,最佳信息原则的适用可"部分"免除调查机关根据核实原则对所获信息的核实职责,认定可获资料为最佳信息,并据此作出对不配合方很可能不利的裁决。被诉产品的生产企业只有积极应诉并配合调查,才能避免最佳信息原则的适用,争取好的裁决结果。     

解读新律师法第33条对侦查工作的影响和对策

新修订的《律师法》第33条规定赋予了律师会见犯罪嫌疑人、被告人“不受监听、不需批准”的特权,被看做是加强被追诉方力量、强化侦查阶段控辩双方对抗性的信号,对侦查工作将产生重大的影响。为此,侦查机关应认真解读新法条的内容和立法本意,作好侦查工作的调整和观念的转变,完成侦查模式由过分依赖口供向综合搜集利用证据的办案模式转变,开拓秘密侦查取证的新途径,并尽量做好律师会见过程中的防范措施。     

现代化的危机——浅议中国现代化进程中应注意的几个问题

现代化的结果是美妙的,但现代化的过程是艰难的。在它前进的过程中会有很多社会问题与之相悖,同时它也会以“副产品”的形式带来一系列的社会问题。如社会保障基础的薄弱与扭曲等问题提高了现代化的成本,同时现代化的发展加速了腐化的蔓延,导致了社会有机体的各个组织的发展参差不齐,为其以后的发展潜藏了祸根。